Battery module enclosures house one or more battery cells that are utilized to provide electrical power. For example, a battery module enclosure may include multiple battery cells connected in series to provide a desired voltage. In some cases, the battery cells comprise liquid materials such as potassium hydroxide and require airtight sealing from an exterior of the battery module as well as between individual cells to prevent a short-circuit condition. Additionally, the battery modules are often utilized in physically unstable environments such as vehicles for hybrid electric applications. Therefore, battery module enclosures commonly comprise thermoplastic materials such as polymeric blends. Since the battery module enclosures typically include at least two interfacing components, welding is often required to create a seal between the multiple components.
Ideally, such welding results in electrically isolated cell pockets. However, variation among plastic components used to make the battery module enclosures creates the possibility of weak or even non-existent welds at defective regions. For example, variations may occur during a molding process or during shipping or handling of plastic components. In one approach, quality control and inspection techniques are used to detect external leakage and/or identify weak welds. However, external inspection of battery module enclosures cannot identify internal leakage or weak welds that are not visibly apparent. Additionally, it is costly and time consuming to manually inspect every weld of every plastic enclosure component that is manufactured.